The walls of the N.C. Neurosciences Hospital’s third floor, covered by almost 100 brightly painted canvases, detailed sketches and warm watercolors, defy the typical images of sterile white lab coats and hallways in hospitals.
People milled around in the space Tuesday, admiring each unique piece on display. But the 65 artists with works in the gallery share a characteristic that united their art — each has suffered with mental illness.
The Schizophrenia Treatment and Evaluation Program, or STEP, premiered the Winter 2011 exhibition “Brushes with Life: Art Artists and Mental Illness” Tuesday.
It aims to tear down stereotypes surrounding mental illness by showing the creations made by the hospital’s patients.
“Art is an equalizer,” said gallery director Julie Pace. “All people are able to create art, and whether or not you’re an artist with a mental illness, you’re just someone who enjoys creating it.”
The gallery opened in 2000, and has displayed artwork to those who visit the third floor since then. The exhibits have also been shown in places outside of the hospital, including the Raleigh-Durham International Airport, the North Carolina Museum of Art and several churches in Chapel Hill.
Pace works primarily as an occupational therapist for the N.C. Neurosciences Hospital and joined the gallery committee six years ago.
She said she’s seen many patients — who have been treated for illnesses such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder — build their artistic skills since the gallery’s opening.
Some STEP patients have turned art into a career after showcasing their products in “Brushes with Life.”
Isti Kaldor, who was treated for bipolar disorder through STEP, said he started painting professionally almost 15 years ago.
“It’s the driving force behind everything I do,” he said.
For many patients, the therapeutic aspects of art helped them manage and overcome the challenges that they faced with their illnesses.
“It’s like an adult vacation for me,” artist Nancy Bryant said. “My mind is completely focused on the canvas, and I get a break from thinking about everything else. It’s a productive way to work through feelings.”
Debbie Suchoff, who volunteers for STEP, said she hopes more people will visit the gallery to witness the talent on display in the hospital wing.
“I’ve seen how much art makes a difference for these folks, and in fact I think it makes a difference for everybody involved,” she said. “The volunteers get as much out of it as the artists do.”
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